BIOREACTOR FOR THE IN SITU STUDY OF MICROBIAL BIOFILMS INDUCING CORROSION ON METAL SURFACES

摘要

The present invention refers to a bioreactor for the in situ study ofmesophilic andthermophilic corrosion inducing microbial biofilms on metal surfaces.The bioreactor of the present invention is a portable device that is used inanyindustry, such as oil, chemical, petrochemical, oil refining, food,metallurgical, paper,etc.Among the most important features of the present invention there is that:4) The bioreactor's configuration is of a "batch" type. It handles bothturbulent andpiston-driven laminar flow, operating by cycles, with the continuouscirculation offluid. It employs a culture medium, or industrial operation or productionfluids thatcontaining their own microbiota, which is introduced into the load of thereceivingbody, thus the bioreactor is single phase.5) The bioreactor comprises a support section for corrosimetric test coupons,wherethe coupons are in touch with the fluid under dynamic conditions, such asfoundin the fluid carrying pipelines, naturally promoting the formation of themicrobialbiofilm. Every so often, coupons are removed for analysis, thus permitting onetofollow the kinetics of microbial biofilm development.6) The bioreactor's operating conditions comprises a section in which there issufficient turbulence for the fluid to homogenize and maintain a temperatureof 20to 80 °C, necessary for the mesophilic or thermophilic microorganism'sgrowth.Likewise, salinity can be in the range 2 to 200 ppm (NaCI) and the pH rangefrom2 to 10; the bioreactor's operating conditions conform to the physicochemicalcharacteristics of the fluid from the industry to be assessed.